Tuesday, May 26, 2009

What I’m Getting Thursday May 28

So the month of May had four hard covers from Marvel get pushed into June, 2 Omnibuses (Iron First and part of Brubaker’s DD run), the last Punisher Max by Garth Ennis and a Marvel Masterwork. The reason why this annoys me is that it means one week very soon I could have well over $200 in hard covers alone waiting for me one week. Now my hard cover orders have been slowly decreasing anyway as I have reached a saturation book, but this type of stuff is bad for the business as I believe no one (and at least me) likes to have to purchase everything at once. Plus how can you schedule for a reprint be so far off?

The books I’m looking forward to most this week are:

DC Comics Classic Library The Roots of the Swamp Thing HC – Case in point this book is coming out the day DC said it would. I actually wish this was a higher end hard cover as the art by Bernie Wrightson deserves a high end reproduction and an oversized presentation. This volume contains “Written by Len Wein; Art by Bernie Wrightston and Nestor Redondo; Cover by Bernie Wrightston. The tales that made Swamp Thing a fan-favorite are collected in hardcover for the first time! Featuring the first appearance from HOUSE OF SECRETS #92 along with SWAMP THING #1-13 and featuring moody art by legendary artist Bernie Wrightson!”

Green Lantern #41 – The build up to Blackest Night continues as what looks to be a major event that could actually be good is only about six weeks away. Johns has almost been quite lately compared to last year but all of the foundation he is building is about to pay dividends. The company line “Written by Geoff Johns; Art and Cover by Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion. Prelude to BLACKEST NIGHT! In "Agent Orange" part 3, the truth behind the eternally corrupt Vega System is finally revealed and the Green Lantern Corps will pay dearly for uncovering the secret. Meanwhile, the greed of Agent Orange knows no bounds as his demand for the universe explodes. Plus, Hal continues to struggle with the abilities of his new power ring.”

Immortal Iron Fist #26 – Marvel’s best titles (for me) seem to be the books that do not necessarily play in the main universe. Iron Fist, Daredevil, Thor and Captain America seem to be books that stay within themselves and for me are the better titles. The marketing pitch “Danny’s escape from Hell gets down to the wire! Trapped in the mystical and secret eighth city of monsters, Danny and the Immortal Weapons have to make the prison-break of a lifetime…with Davos waiting to meet them outside! But will he help them run…or shove them back to their deaths?! By Duane Swierczynski (CABLE) and Travel Foreman (ARES)!”

Last Days of Animal Man #1 (of 6) – This is an interesting mini-series. First off we have Gerry Conway coming back to comics after he had stated in many interviews that he was done with comics. Marv Wolfman and Len Wein have recently returned to comics and neither have hit any home runs for me, so let’s see what Mr. Conway can do. Second it is the end of Animal Man’s career and for all intents and purposes is an Elseworld story which DC has stated they don’t do anymore, so what do they want to call this? The word “Written by Gerry Conway; Art by Chris Batista and Dave Meikis; Cover by Brian Bolland. Is Buddy Baker losing it all? Everyman hero Buddy Baker has fought hard for our world, and for his family. But by the year 2024, the Earth has seen better days: The heroes are growing tired, the villains have grown nastier and Buddy's own hometown of San Diego has struggled for years to recover from a cataclysmic typhoon. His children have grown and his marriage has gotten colder… and now, as San Diego faces the most vicious Super-Villain it's seen in years, his powers are starting to fail him! Without his powers, without his family – who is Buddy Baker? Can he still be a husband? Can he still be a father? Can he still be Animal Man? And more importantly, can he even survive the bloodthirsty plan his arch-rival's progeny has in store for him? Comics legend Gerry Conway (TV's Law and Order) makes his return to DC with this can't-miss miniseries.”

Madame Xanadu #11 - This is the return of Mike Kaluta to the interior art of comics. Mike’s work has not been seen in any mainstream comic book in many, many years. His portrayals of Madame Xanadu (the few times he did it) are probably responsible for making this former minor character so memorable. Mike’s work is more of a classic illustration style, but it is lush and gorgeous and this book is certainly getting top notch talent to work on it. If Amy needs a breather no one could be a better artist to do this book while she catches her breath and gets ahead on the next arc. The hype “By Matt Wagner; Art and cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta. Master illustrator Michael Wm. Kaluta jumps onboard for a 5-issue story with the seductive sorceress he first brought to life 30 years ago. Kaluta joins series scribe Matt Wagner to weave a mystery that jumps between the Spanish Inquisition and 1940s New York City. Long-buried secrets come back to life as Madame Xanadu investigates a murder 500 years in the making. Featuring colors by Eisner Award-winner Dave Stewart.”

Mouse Guard Winter #1152 #6 (of 6) - Hands down the best all age book on the stands and it captures the classic story telling techniques of old by telling serious stories with danger and excitement with fanciful characters. I’m looking forward to the hard cover on this book. What’s inside “With the food and medicine shortage still unresolved, hares and riders depart from Lockhaven, but not to redistribute food throughout the territories; instead they ride on a desperate search and rescue mission for Celanawe and Lieam, still unaccounted-for. A dramatic climax as this final chapter of Winter 1152 sees the mice honoring the death of one of their own.”

The rest of the list:

Astounding Wolf Man #16 – LOCKDOWN, Part Two As the world-ending plans of THE FACE draw nearer to completion--Stronghold Prison is attacked! Amidst the chaos Wolf-Man must face off against Zechariah for the final time. Will it lead to his escape--or his demise?

Back to Brooklyn #5 (of 5) - MINISERIES CONCLUSION! Bob Saetta and his scumbag brother Paul can avoid it no longer, the FBI and the police department are running low on body bags as the sh*t hits the fan. It's brother vs. brother in one of the bloodiest climaxes in comic book history. Brooklyn's underworld will never be the same, and neither will you!

Batman in Barcelona Dragon’s Knight-When a string of bizarre murders hits Spain's beautiful coastal city of Barcelona, The Dark Knight makes solving this crime his top priority. Full of international intrigue, high adventure and even higher stakes, BATMAN IN BARCELONA: DRAGON'S KNIGHT showcases The Caped Crusader in a different type of Gotham – but one no less dangerous! Fan-favorite writer Mark Waid (KINGDOM COME) delivers an exciting, non-stop one-shot full of surprises while Spanish art sensation Diego Olmos (SUPERNATURAL: RISING SON) beautifully illustrates his home city. Featuring a gorgeous cover by best-selling artist Jim Lee (BATMAN, SUPERMAN).

Battlefields Tankies #2 (of 3) - Garth Ennis (W); Carlos Ezquerra (A)The death ride of the British armoured divisions continues as German resistance intensifies, littering the Normandy countryside with smashed tanks and bloody bodies. Meanwhile, Corporal Stiles and his crew continue their quest to rejoin their unit- assuming there's a unit left to rejoin. Worse still, mutiny begins to rear its head- at the worst possible time, with hungry Tigers on the prowl...

Crossed #5 (of 9) - by Garth Ennis & Jacen Burrows The most controversial series of the year continues as Garth Ennis pulls out all the stops to write the most twisted book of his career! Cindy and her rag-tag team of fellow survivors are still on the run, but now the Crossed has focused all their energy on a vicious new game: bringing as much pain and suffering to the survivors as they can! Nothing is going right, but this is no fairy tale - there are no magic cures on the horizon. When civilization crumbles in one terrifying moment; when people are gleefully breaking into unthinkable acts of violence all around you; when everyone you love has died screaming in agony: What do you do? There is no help. There is no hope. There is no escape. There are only the Crossed! This stomach-churning vision is brought to vivid (and more than a little disturbing) life by his partner in crime Jacen Burrows.

Dark Reign Elektra #3 (of 5) - A fatigued and badly wounded Elektra is out of H.A.M.M.E.R. custody and on the run, and Norman Osborn wants her neutralized. Nothing for it but to send his best anti-Elektra operative – the Dark Avengers’ own…HAWKEYE! He killed her once when he was Bullseye. Does a wounded Elektra even stand a chance? From Zeb Wells (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) and Clay Mann (DAREDEVIL)!

Farscape Dargo’s Lament #2 (of 4) - Ka D'argo lives on - only in this pulse-pounding Farscape mini-series set in-continuity during season 3 between episodes 'Revenging Angel' and 'Fractures.' D'Argo and Jool are stuck in the middle of a global war, and a figure from D'Argo's past is only going to make things worse!

Final Crisis Aftermath Ink #1 (of 6) - In the wake of FINAL CRISIS, the Tattooed Man is considered a hero for the first time in his life. At first, the rewards from his new lifestyle are a welcome change from the rest of what his existence has been, but soon the pressure to stay above temptation and evil start to wear him down. Matters are quickly complicated when he wakes up in the middle of the night to find his body covered in unfamiliar tattoos that seem to have a life of their own. In this 6-issue miniseries from newcomer writer Eric Wallace (TV's Eureka) and artist Fabrizio Fiorentino, the Tattooed Man finds himself in the middle of a life and death struggle with his own powers and the master plan they seem to have for him – whether he likes it or not!

Ghost Rider #35 - "TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS," PART 3 Johnny Blaze has come to a monastery in Japan, just wanting to be left alone as he waits patiently for the end of the world. But when a local biker gang begins terrorizing the town, Blaze realizes that his work as Ghost Rider isn't quite done yet.

Gotham Gazette #1 Batman Alive - Written by Fabian Nicieza; Art by Dustin Nguyen, Guillem March, Jamie McKelvie, ChrisCross and Alex Konat; Cover by Dustin Nguyen. A city looking to rise up. A new Dark Knight is casting his shadow until dawn's early light. A cop looking to solve a murder whose solution may be worse than the crime. A reporter who can reclaim her social standing only by rejecting everything she believes in. A doctor who has found new life by compromising her old one. One hero who has determined a course of action no matter whose plans it spoils. Harvey Bullock. Vicki Vale. Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Stephanie Brown. These four ordinary people living extraordinary lives look to regain their balance in a city that turns lives upside down. Morning comes to Gotham City and the time for mourning has passed. How do the people of Gotham City deal with the sudden arrival of hope? Find out in this new one-shot!

Guardians of the Galaxy #14 - A WAR OF KINGS TIE-IN! The savage battle between the Shi’Ar Imperium—ruled by Emperor Vulcan—and the Kree Empire—controlled by Black Bolt—explodes across the universe! The Guardians of the Galaxy know they’ve got to stop the war before it shakes the cosmos apart at the seams, but will any of these heavy hitters listen to a rag-tag bunch of self-appointed galactic protectors who spend half their time quarreling amongst themselves?

Justice League of America #33 - Written by Dwayne McDuffie; Art by Rags Morales; Cover by Ed Benes. It's Dharma vs. Starbreaker for control of the greatest source of power in the DC Universe. No matter the victor, the Justice League loses!

Justice Society of America #27 - Written by Jerry Ordway; Art by Jerry Ordway and Bob Wiacek; Cover by Jerry Ordway. The younger JSA team members find their headquarters in total lockdown – with The Flash, Green Lantern and Wildcat trapped inside! Can the junior JSA-ers break into their own home base? And what secret from the Atomic Age seeks retribution from the three founding members?

The Literals #2 (of 3) - Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges; Art by Mark Buckingham and Andrew Pepoy; Cover by Mark Buckingham. "The Great Fables Crossover" part 6 of 9! Even with his two Fable muses pressed into service, Kevin Thorn is having trouble getting started on his next grand opus. He seems to be suffering from a bad case of, "What's that malady that affects writers and keeps them from getting their work done?" Meanwhile, the Page Sisters go to guns a-blazin' against the Genres.

Moon Knight #30 -“DOWN SOUTH,” PART 4 The little Mexican town of El Paso Del Norte is getting crowded. First, there’s Moon Knight, whose current alter ego, Jake Lockley, is playing bodyguard to a young woman who’s in the crosshairs of virtually every assassin South of the Rio Grande. Then, there’s the Zapata Brothers, a duo of outlandish assassins that’s determined to collect the bounty. And then there’s the Punisher, who’s crossed the border on the trail of some Russian Mobsters. Oh, and did we forget to mention the phantom predator known as Toltec, who’s got his sights on everyone?

Ms Marvel #39 - The Dark Reign is in full effect. Carol Danvers is dead. Moonstone has taken on the mantle of Ms. Marvel. And the only hope for the forces of good is . . . Machine Man?! Brian Reed and Patrick Olliffe kick off a new chapter in the legend of Ms. Marvel!

New Avengers #53 - WHO WILL BE THE NEXT SORCERER SUPREME? And will he or she survive the initiation? The Avengers fight a battle that they know will shape the future of the Marvel Universe for years to come!

Northlanders #17 - Written by Brian Wood; Art by Vasilis Lolos; Cover by Massimo Carnevale. "The Viking Art of Single Combat" continues. On a snowy coastline of Norway, two Vikings face off in single combat. Seconds slow to minutes. Minutes slow to hours. Then, slower still, until the fight takes on a greater meaning. Viking warfare is deconstructed and dissected in this bitter and lonely brawl to the death with visually stunning art from Vasilis Lolos (Last Call).

Nova #25 - The Nova Corps rushes to the front line of the terrible conflagration between the Shi’Ar Imperium and the Kree Empire—and gets decimated! To save them, Richard Rider must wrest control of the Nova Force from no less than the Worldmind itself! Be prepared for shocks and surprises in this stunning showdown issue of the series.

Starcraft #1-From the bestselling Blizzard computer game comes the most explosive sci-fi action comic ever created! Join the WarPigs, a disbanded team of outlaws reunited by their former captain for one last job: the assassination of Jim Raynor! Join creators Keith Giffen, Simon Furman and Federico Dallocchio for WildStorm's explosive foray into the world of STARCRAFT with this new ongoing series!

Superman #688 - Written by James Robinson; Art by Renato Guedes & José Wilson Magalhães; Cover by Andrew Robinson. Mon-El's role as Superman's stand-in for Metropolis is threatened by a sudden and mysterious power loss. How can he be the hero he needs to be without any special abilities? Meanwhile the Guardian and his Science Police go to the rescue of a missing member of the Legion of Superheroes. And who is the spy within the Science Police ranks?

Sword #17 - Dara may be fighting a losing battle when Knossos' power not only overwhelms her, but becomes a threat to the rest of the world.

Teen Titans #71 - Written by Sean McKeever; Art and cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson. "Deathtrap" aftermath! The team picks up the pieces following their crossover with TITANS and VIGILANTE as Ravager returns. But is she friend or foe?

Trinity #52 - Written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza; Art by Mark Bagley and Art Thibert, Mike Norton and Ande Parks, Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens and Tom Derenick and Wayne Faucher; Covers by Jim Lee and Scott Williams and Mark Bagley and John Dell. The final showdown. The world hasn't just been changed, it's been destroyed. Can the Trinity still save the day? Not if Morgaine le Fey and Krona have anything to say about it. Answers, revelations and more come fast and furious in the mother of all action finales! Guest-starring just about everyone and featuring a final cover by TRINITY interior artist Mark Bagley!

Wildcats #11 - Written by Christos Gage; Art by Neil Googe and Chris Sprouse and Karl Story. The Wildcats' visit to the Hawaiian Islands takes a turn for the worse when they learn a dark secret that Majestic wanted kept hidden, and he'll kill to protect it! To make matters worse, when the 'Cats are away, the Daemonites decide to play as Defile and his army launch an all-out assault on the HALO building, which is full of helpless survivors.

Wolverine #72 – Logan and Hawkeye have finally reached their journey’s end, made it to New Babylon, and delivered Hawkeye’s secret cargo. But the completion of their mission has come with a great price…and Logan is out for revenge on the man responsible for the annihilation of the world’s super heroes, the President of the United States! Don’t miss the penultimate issue of the greatest Wolverine story ever told by modern masters MARK MILLAR and STEVE MCNIVEN! Part 7 (of 8). – Not even sure why I finishing this story as it has been pedestrian at best.

Wonder Woman #32 - Written by Gail Simone; Art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan; Cover by Aaron Lopresti. It's all been building to this issue, the penultimate chapter of the mind-blowing "Rise of the Olympian" storyarc. It's Wonder Woman vs. Genocide in a final, brutal showdown that leaves Diana with one of the toughest decisions she's ever had to face – and that's just the start of what happens this month! Do not miss this crucial story in the life of the greatest heroine in the DC Universe!

Last week almost every book that I had targeted for cancellation, was in fact dropped by me (see tomorrow’s post). This week I have a few books on the edge. Starcraft #1 because any new series I look at with a jaded view unless it has can’t miss potential. Final Crisis Aftermath Ink is also on that list. I have continued the first three Aftermath series, but so far I’m not committed to a single series till the end. Finally Ms. Marvel is a borderline book as it is now about Moonstone being Ms. Marvel and I’m not sold on that concept. Finally I have to say I’m glad Trinity has finally come to an end. I was hoping this book would be good but it was way too long for what it turned out to be. A six issue mini-series that fizzles out is an $18/$24 hit, a 52 issue series was $156 miss and a waste of DC’s talent pool.